Man City Must Stop Relying On Haaland For Goals -Pep Guardiola
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has warned his players to stop depending on Erling Haaland for goals.
Recall that City’s 8-0 victory over Salford saw academy star James McAtee score a hat-trick, Nico O’Reilly score his first senior goal, Divin Mubama score on his debut whilst Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish added to the tally.
Guardiola spoke after the game about how having a range of goal scorers has a positive impact on the team.
“Players that play up front have to deliver,” Guardiola said. “Not just (Jack), Erling, Doku, Savinho and Kevin (De Bruyne) when he plays there and Bernardo (Silva) when he plays there and Gundo (Ilkay Gundogan).
“You have to score goals and make assists – just to rely on the goals of Haaland is impossible.
“The biggest clubs that win the league have strikers that score goals like Sergio (Aguero) and Gabriel Jesus but also Riyad (Mahrez), Raheem (Sterling), Leroy (Sane), Gundogan.
“A lot of players score a lot of goals and we need that.”
Manchester City are back throwing around the big bucks in an attempt to save their season.
talkSPORT understands that Pep Guardiola’s side are close to sealing three new signings after a poor summer window and start to the 2024/25 campaign.
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Reis could arrive at City in January with the Sky Blues desperate for his arrival
Reis could arrive at City in January with the Sky Blues desperate for his arrival
The latest update comes in the form of 19-year-old Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis.
The two clubs have agreed a £30million fee, beating Brighton, Wolves and Arsenal to his signature.
Palmeiras had originally wanted Reis to stay until the end of the season and play for them in the Club World Cup but City are insisting he links up with them immediately.
The Brazilian Serie A runners-up have recently produced Real Madrid’s Endrick and soon-to-be Chelsea man Estevao Willian and are proving to be one of South America’s top talent hot spots.
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With a deal for Reis expected to be completed, the youngster is set for two more new teammates, the first of which is Omar Marmoush.
talkSPORT understand that City and Eintracht Frankfurt are confident that a £60m deal will go through this week for a player in stunning form.
In 25 games this season the 25-year-old Egyptian forward has a superb tally of 19 goals and 11 assists.
That will take Guardiola’s winter spend to £90m, and tipping it over the £120m mark is likely to be Abdukodir Khusanov, arriving from Lens for £33m.
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talkSPORT understands that City have found an agreement with the French club for one of Ligue 1’s stand out defenders.
The 20-year-old is set to undergo a medical and become the Premier League’s first player from Uzbekistan, with City nabbing a talent who had drawn interest from Tottenham.
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Marmoush has been one of Europe’s best players this season
Marmoush has been one of Europe’s best players this season
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While Khusanov is one of the game’s top defensive prospects
While Khusanov is one of the game’s top defensive prospects
The three players’ combined fees of £123m will make City’s January window one of the most expensive in football history, but still a long way off record holders Chelsea who spent £277m at the start of 2023.
Guardiola will argue the mini-rebuild is a complete necessity, though, given his side’s first half of the season.
The reigning four-time consecutive champions are currently sixth in the league table, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, while their Champions League future is at risk as they sit 22nd in the league phase with only the top 24 progressing to the knock-out rounds.
Their legendary manager will hope to have more luck than he did in the summer window, with Savinho failing to fully deliver on his promise since arriving, and Ilkay Gundogan not making a difference upon his return from Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Argentine World Cup winner Julian Alvarez left for Atletico Madrid, and City are sorely missing him as an option up front, a hole they’ll look to fill with Marmoush.
They’re also increasingly likely to see another key departure in January, with stalwart Kyle Walker expressing his desire to leave.
Man City put on red alert as Eintracht Frankfurt’s asking price for Omar Marmoush revealed
The England regular has ruled out a big money Saudi Pro League switch, with European giants AC Milan his preferred destination.
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